The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Digital, Information Communication Technology, and Cybersecurity, Hon. Adedeji Stanley Dhikrullahi Olajide, has lauded a grant of $2.09m by the United States of America, injected to expand Cyber security networks in Nigeria by increasing its fiberoptic network.
The Reps member representing Ibadan NorthWest/SouthWest Federal Constituency in the Green Chambers, described the grant as a landmark achievement in Nigeria’s journey toward digital transformation.
The announcement of the grant made during the inaugural US-NigeriabTechnology Dialogue held in Washington DC, January 10, 2025,
reveals that it will facilitate the laying of 90,000 kilometers of fiber optic backbone infrastructure across the country, thus marking a significant milestone in the journey toward increased broadband connectivity and economic growth.
The high-profile event, hosted by the U.S. Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell, brought together senior officials, including Hon. Olajide and Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani. The dialogue dwelled on how to strengthen the two countries’ cooperation in critical sectors of the digital economy.
Hon. Olajide pointed out that the U.S. grant perfectly aligns with Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan 2020–2025, focused on increasing broadband penetration and ensuring the growth of the socio-economic life of the nation. He added that this will further improve the state of digital infrastructure and substantially increase access to the internet, thereby opening up more jobs and diversifying the economy.
According to Olajide, “This deal marks an important milestone in Nigeria’s digital journey; this financing arrangement does not only show a high-level commitment to our digital future but further reiterates the long-cherished relationship between Nigeria and the United States; this is indeed a model for international partnership leveraging technology towards attaining sustainable development.”
The commitment of the U.S. to this initiative underlines its larger ambition of building global digital partnerships. This fiber optic deployment will improve the connectivity landscape of Nigeria, enabling businesses, educational institutions, and communities to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
This landmark agreement underlines the strategic importance of international cooperation in furthering digital infrastructure and opens the door for more technological collaborations between the two countries.
